For Immediate Release
New Officers Take the Helm for The Geological Society of America
Boulder, CO, USA: Isabel P. Montañez, University of California at Davis, will assume the presidency of The Geological Society of America on 1 July 2017. The incoming president-elect is Robbie Rice Gries, president of Gries Energy Partners in Lakewood, Colorado. Rounding out the Executive Committee are immediate past-president Claudia I. Mora, Los Alamos National Laboratory, incoming treasurer Richard C. Berg, Illinois State Geological Survey, and Councilor-at-Large Anke Friedrich, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München.
"I look forward to the upcoming opportunity to represent the highly diverse GSA community and to implement and broaden the Society's vision and mission. The evolving global landscape provides new opportunities and responsibilities for promoting and articulating the importance of the earth sciences and to engage at the interface of research, outreach, and public policy. I am committed to increasing the visibility of our members' efforts in the earth sciences and to enhancing GSA’s activities in communicating the relevance of our science to society that should shape policy and inform decision-making."
Montañez will deliver her Presidential Address, titled, 'Mind the Gap': GSA's Role in an Evolving Global Society, at the Society's 2017 Annual Meeting in Seattle, Washington, USA, on Sunday, 22 October. 2017, during a lunchtime lecture from noon to 1:30 p.m. at the Washington State Convention Center. This event is open to all meeting attendees, and members of the media are invited to attend.
According to Montañez, "We are at the cusp of a historic moment regarding issues at the interface of science and society. The geosciences, in particular, play a pivotal role in discussions regarding climate change, natural resources, such as energy and water, and the sustainability of our planet. In this address, I will explore the many facets of our members’ scientific efforts that benefit humanity and address the role of GSA in the evolving global landscape. Changing times present opportunities for the Society to build on and innovatively broaden its activities in professional development, public outreach and policy, science communication, and to enhance the overall vitality of GSA."
Newly-elected Councilors serving four-year terms from 1 July 2017–30 June 2021 are
Carmala N. Garzione, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York; Joan E. Fryxell, California State University, San Bernardino, California; and Suzanne O'Connell, Wesleyan University, Middletown, Connecticut. Information about the full GSA Council is online.
GSA Executive Director Vicki S. McConnell extended a welcome to the new Council saying, "GSA members have again elected thoughtful and innovative individuals to lead the organization and further the impact of geoscience. I am excited to work with the new Officers and Councilors as they join the GSA leadership team."
The Geological Society of America, founded in 1888, serves more than 25,000 members from academia, government, and industry in more than 100 countries. Through its meetings, publications, and programs, GSA enhances the professional growth of its members and promotes the geosciences in the service of humankind. GSA encourages cooperative research among earth, life, planetary, and social scientists, fosters public dialogue on geoscience issues, and supports all levels of earth science education.
http://www.geosociety.org
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